IDIOMS AND PHRASES

Be A Cold Day in Hell: (Something that) will never happen.

Sentence – She said that it would be a cold day in hell before she befriended the former jailbird.

Be An Item: Two people are an item when they are having a romantic relationship.

Sentence – When you and your maybe-likely-soon-to-be ex cease to be an item and revert to singlehood, when should you revise your online relationship status?

Be Footloose and Fancy-Free: To be free of responsibilities, including romantic commitments.

Sentence – When the kids leave home, you’ll be footloose and fancy-free.

Be in Seventh Heaven: Extremely happy.

Sentence – When she has all her grandchildren around her, she’s in seventh heaven.

Be in Two Minds (about something): To not be certain about something, or to have difficulty in making a decision.

Sentence – I am in two minds about whether or not to go to the party tonight. I’m sure it will be fun, but I have a lot of work to do too.

Be Head Over Heels (In love): Be in love with somebody very much.

Sentence – Oh, I know he’s head over heels in love with Christina—he won’t stop gushing about her!

Be Like Chalk and Cheese: Things or people who are very different and have nothing in common.

Sentence – They were chalk and cheese and any simmering dislike they may have had of each other blew up in that moment.

Be on the Mend: Be improving after an illness.

Sentence – They are still unrepresented in great cities such as Manchester and Liverpool, but they seem at last to be on the mend.

Be Snowed Under: Be extremely busy with work or things to do.

Sentence – I’d love to go out to dinner tonight, but I’m totally snowed under at the office right now.

Bean Counters: Accountants, finance professionals in an organization.

Sentence – As soon as the staff learned they had to purchase their own office supplies, they knew it was a result of the finance department’s new bean counter tightening the company’s purse strings.

Beat Around the Bush: To speak in a roundabout way in order to avoid confronting an unpleasant topic.

Sentence – That wasn’t too surprising, for Mr. Zhu certainly does not beat around the bush about anything.

Beat someone to the Draw: To accomplish or obtain something more quickly than someone else.

Sentence – I had a perfect chance to score a goal, but their defender beat me to the draw and stole the ball away.

Beat Someone to the Punch: Do something before or faster than someone else.

Sentence – I was going to suggest that idea to the boss today, but unfortunately one of my co-workers beat me to the punch.

Beat the Drum for (Something): Speak in favor of something to try to generate support.

Sentence – At first the legislation didn’t seem to have much support, but recently I’ve seen some people beating the drum online

Beauty Is Only Skin Deep: External appearance is a superficial basis for judging someone.

Sentence – Of course that gorgeous model didn’t tip you—beauty is only skin deep, after all.

Bed of Roses: A comfortable situation.

Sentence – After John complained about his long, tiring day at work, his father turned to him and said, “You didn’t think your new job in construction was going to be a bed of roses, did you?”